1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compact disk auto-exchanger and a method thereof, and in particular to an improved compact disk auto-exchanger and a method thereof which is capable of more rapidly and accurately moving a compact disk from a magazine to a compact disk player, and loading/unloading the compact disk arranged in a compact disk mechanism into/from the magazine within a limited space.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, a data writing medium such as a compact disk is formed based on a predetermined standard. Since the amount of data which is able to be written into the compact disk is limited, it is impossible to write a large amount of data into the limited writing area of the compact disk. Therefore, a predetermined number of compact disks are needed for writing a large amount of data thereinto. The thusly arranged compact disks are selectively used one by one, and the exchange of the compact disks is manually performed, thus causing inconvenience.
In addition, the exchange of the compact disks must be manually performed, thus causing inconvenience. Furthermore, the manual exchange of the compact disks needs longer time. The more the number of the compact disks, the more inconvenience incurred.
The conventional compact disk auto-exchanger, which are disclosed by Victor and Sony, includes a magazine having a plurality of stacked storage rooms, into which the compact disks are inserted, formed in an upper space of a reproduction driving mechanism of the compact disk auto-exchanger, with a moving member having a stroke from the uppermost of the magazine to the upper surface of the driving mechanism. This moving member serves to push the compact disk from the magazine and the reproduction driving mechanism. An arm is provided for pushing the compact disk from the magazine and the reproduction driving mechanism, and the compact disks are selectively exchanged, thus providing a user with a large amount of data.
A tray of the auto-exchanging Victor mechanism includes a plurality of storage rooms formed in the magazine for loading and unloading the compact disks thereinto/therefrom. In addition, a carrier which is moved between the reproduction driving mechanism and the uppermost portion of the magazine unloads the tray of the magazine having the compact disk from the storage rooms, and the compact disk contacts with the carrier by a magnetic force. In the above-described state, the tray is loaded into the storage room, and the carrier having the compact disk is moved to the upper surface of the reproduction driving mechanism. In the above-described state, the tray is unloaded from the reproduction driving mechanism, and the tray is returned to the reproduction driving mechanism, thus reproducing data written on the compact disk. After the data is reproduced, the compact disk is unloaded from the tray and is inserted into the tray of the magazine.
However, as the tray arranged in the magazine and the reproduction driving mechanism is loaded/unloaded, the driving process is complicated. In addition, it is impossible to accurately control the operation of the system. Since the operation time of the auto-exchanger becomes longer, it is impossible to rapidly exchange the compact disks.
Furthermore, since the mechanism is complicated, the assembling process is complicated, thus causing malfunction and erroneous operation of the system. In addition, productivity is decreased.
In addition, in the Sony mechanism, as shown in FIG. 1, a compact disk 400 loaded into a storage room of a magazine 100 installed in an upper space of the reproduction driving mechanism is pushed by a push lever 301 disposed in a carrier 200 which moves the uppermost portion of the magazine and the upper surface of the reproduction driving mechanism, and a circular roller 300 is rotated, the compact disk is moved with respect to the carrier, and the carrier is vertically moved to the position of the reproduction driving mechanism. Another push lever 302 of the carrier pushes the compact disk to the center portion of the reproduction driving mechanism, thus reproducing the data written on the compact disk. When the reproducing is finished, the compact disk is moved into the magazine.
However, the push levers 301 and 302 and the roller 300 in the carrier 200 are normally and reversely rotated, and the compact disk positioned at both sides of the carrier 200 and in the reproduction driving mechanism are moved in a predetermined direction. Therefore, the above-described mechanism is complicated, and it is difficult to assemble the system.